There was no way Nik Lewis was going to be kept away from his old stomping grounds in Calgary.

But an injury to his right leg has put his participation in Friday’s game between the Montreal Alouettes and the Calgary Stampeders in much doubt so at this point … he may or may not.

Either way, Nik Lewis Nation will be out in full force to cheer their eponymous record-holder, whether he’s at the pre-game tailgate party or on the McMahon Stadium field.

The veteran receiver was hurt in the Als’ 33-19 loss to the Toronto Argonauts on the weekend but yet is on the team’s 46-man roster for Friday night’s outing at McMahon Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN/News Talk 770). Whether he makes it onto the final 44 will be determined prior to the game.

Be it in the stands or on the turf, Lewis returns to the venue he played in for 11 seasons as the CFL’s all-time receptions leader, overtaking Geroy Simon this summer. The Stamps are expected to acknowledge that feat sometime during Friday’s tilt.

Last weekend, he also moved into fifth spot on the career receiving yardage list, passing Terry Vaughn. So there’s lots to celebrate with the 35-year-old Texan.

“Of course,” Lewis admitted. “This is one of the games I look forward to most. Come back in that stadium. Play in front of those fans. Plus I always say I love to test myself against the best, and right now, they’re the best.

“We’ll see. The doctors aren’t still convinced as much, but I feel great. I’ll be staying after the game in Calgary for a couple of days. It’s time to catch up, see some old friends and have a good time.”

His former Stampeders teammates are hoping for just that.

“People still love him,” said Stamps defensive back Brandon Smith. “He’s good with the fans, and he’s a likeable guy. He was one of my good friends in Calgary. For him to come back to where it all started and give back to the fans and still be social … that’s big for the Nik Lewis Nation and for Nik Lewis.”

Smith, who practised against Lewis for years before the latter joined the Alouettes, has his ideas as to what has taken him to the pinnacle of the league’s reception list.

“I remember my earliest memory of coming in as a rookie, seeing him and hearing about him,” Smith related. “They said he’s one of the star receivers, and I remember looking at him, like, really, that’s what’s working over here? Even covering him in practice, he’s not looking to make those exciting plays. I remember first practice, I thought ‘I don’t see anything special,’ but I remember first game — opening night, when the lights came on — and he was doing everything and anything — jumping over guys, running through guys, making highlight catches … And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, I see what’s going on now.’

“He’s very knowledgeable of the game,” Smith continued. “He doesn’t have all the physical specs that you would think of for a star receiver — he’s not 6-4, he’s not running 4.3, he’s not jumping 46-inch verticals … But he knows the game well, and he plays with heart. He’s determined to come down with the ball. As a defensive back, every play you’re not sure what you’re going to get.”

Stamps receiver Anthony Parker, whom Lewis took under his wing when the University of Calgary Dinos star joined the team as the third pick in the 2011 CFL draft and was mentored by him for four seasons, wasn’t at all surprised to see the heights scaled.

“To me, it validated everything he’s done to this point in his career,” said Parker. “The one thing that stood out for me when he was here was that there was no ball he couldn’t catch and he made a point of making sure he made every catch. He does a lot of thankless things with the blocking … so great to see him get the record.”

Those lessons imparted have stayed with Parker.

“The biggest thing for me is he’d say to me ‘learn the concept,’” the 27-year-old explained. “And I was kind of like ‘but I’m playing this position’. Now, seven years into it, it completely makes sense and was probably the most instrumental thing to getting me to where I am now.

“Week-in and week-out, we have guys getting hurt, and your value is that much more if you can play any position because you understand the concept as a whole instead of just your position. To me, that was invaluable, and for the team, it’s great. That’s the standard — you learn the system.”

A huge chunk of Lewis’ 1,048 CFL receptions — 806 — came with the Stampeders, so he can’t help but think fondly still of this organization and what it meant to him.

“Through the years, you start to see one year, two years … and they multiply, and they start rolling,” Lewis said, reminiscing of his career with the Red & White. “I was fortunate to be on some great teams that allowed me to be there for a long time and allowed me to play with a lot of the same players. Seven years with Hank (Henry Burris), five years with Cope (Jeremaine Copeland) and six years with (Ken-Yon) Rambo. Joffrey (Reynolds) for six, seven years … (Rob) Cote came in 2007 to be there for seven, eight years of his career. And Jon Cornish, Charleston (Hughes) and Smitty … it’s awesome for me for what I’ve been able to do, but it’s also a great feeling to know I was part of the group and part of the people that set the standard that still lives on today of winning.

“Now you see them go out and execute and do those things and for me to be a part of some of their careers … it’s a great feeling to watch them and be proud of them. That’s the same thing I’m trying to do in Montreal — to leave that legacy as well, to help the young guys and do my part in creating that atmosphere …”

If he doesn’t play, he’ll no doubt find himself a good spot in the stands to watch these two squads do combat on Friday night, surrounded by members of his Nation. But if you listen to him tell it, there’s more than a small chance.

“I know my body — I know what I’ve played through in the past,” Lewis said. “During the game, it was very painful. I never felt that pain before. I never tore anything before, so to go through that pain … I couldn’t put my foot on the ground. But ever since, I haven’t had that pain anymore, and I’ve been using some techniques to get better.